Suicide biggest kid killer

SUICIDE has become the leading cause of death for senior high school students struggling with family breakups, domestic violence and bullying, a shocking new report reveals.

The latest Queensland Family and Child Commission report, tabled in state parliament yesterday, shows that 21 children killed themselves in 2016/17.

And child drownings more than doubled last year – from nine to 19 – prompting warnings for parents to watch their kids around water.

The report reveals that Queensland high school students are more likely to take their own lives than die in a car crash, drowning or accident. Nine of the dead children were aged between 10 and 14 and the other 12 were aged 15 to 17.

The report says suicide has overtaken traffic accidents and cancer as the leading cause of death for 15 to 17-year-olds in the state over the past three years. Fifteen boys and six girls died by suicide in 2016/17.

Two were in foster care, nine were known to Child Safety and eight had a history of alcohol or drug abuse.

Three of the dead children came from violent homes and eight were victims of abuse.